British-Syrian man arrested by cops after terrified locals thought he was ISIS fanatic reported him filming people at swimming pools

Named only as Othman, he was later cleared after being stopped by cops at Kosice airport

By DANNY COLLINS

28th July 2016, 10:26 pm

Updated: 28th July 2016, 10:26 pm

A BRISTOLIAN was arrested after taking pictures around a town’s swimming pool – because locals feared he was an ISIS terrorist sizing up an attack.

The man, who is of Syrian origin, was nabbed by Slovakian police because fearful locals were suspicious of his snap-happy behaviour.

CEN/TV JOJ

The man, named only as Othman, was arrested as he waited to board a plane back to the UK from Kosice's airport

CEN/TV JOJ

Locals at the swimming pool in the Slovakian city reported the man after they spotted him taking photographs around a public swimming pool

CEN/TV JOJ

Locals said the man, who is a Bristolian of Syrian origin, was acting suspiciously around the pool, prompting fears he was planning a terrorist attack

Alamy

Police pursued him to Kosice's airport, where he was arrested. They later confirmed he had no links to terrorism

After leaving the scene, police followed him to the local airport, stopping him boarding a flight back to the UK.

Named only as Othman, 36, he was cleared of any wrongdoing but was held by police after allegedly assaulting an officer when being questioned.

The pool in the city of Kosice was closed so that authorities could take a sample of the water – fearing it had been poisoned after Othman disappeared on June 26.

One witness at the pool, named only as Peter, said: "When we were in the pool, we spotted the man with darker skin who had clothes on and a handbag, and who was filming the area, the people, and the neighbourhood."

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